Acetylene-gas generator.



No. 657,fl50. Patented Sept. 4, I900. J. E. WORMALD &. 0. W. AMES.

AGETYLENE GAS GENERATGR.

(Application filed. 3m 8, 1900.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

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no. 657,50. Patented Sept. 4, I900. .1. E. WORMALD & o. w. AMES.

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed Jan. 8, 1900.)

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Urvrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH E. WVORMALD AND ORVILLE W. AMES, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD TO JOSEPH S. FRYE, OF SAME PLACE.

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

SPEQIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 657,150, dated September 4, 1900. Application filed January 8, 1900. Serial No, 746. (N model.)

To all whom it may concern/.2

Be it known that we, JOSEPH E. WORMALD and URVILLE W. Anus, citizens of the United States, residing at Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State of lVashington, have invented a new and useful Acetylene-Gas Generator, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to an improved gas- I0 generator, one object of our invention being to provide an automatically-controlled acetylene-gas generator that feeds calcium carbid to water in quantities varying with the consumption of the gas, thereby preventing an I5 undue or insufficient pressure of the gas from existing at any time while the gas is being consumed, and hence avoiding danger of eX- ploding, while maintaining the gas at a pressure sufficient to produce lights of maximum candle-power at all times.

A further object of our invention is to provide an acetylene gas generator which is cheap, of simple construction, and which requires but little attention when in operation.

To these ends our invention consists in the peculiar construction and combination of elements hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of an acetylene-gasgenerating apparatus embodying our improvements. Fig. 2 is a detail vertical sectional view at right angles to Fig. 1 on the line :0 5c of that figure. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the cog rack and wheel and connections for operating the automatically-controlled carbidfeeding device. Fig. 4 is a detail horizontal sectional view taken 011 the line a a of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail vertical sectional view of a portion of the lower cylindrical section of the gas-generating tank, showing the construction of the washing-chamber and the water-feed pipe therefor. Fig. 0 is a detail perspective view showing a portion of the cog-rack and the pivoted counterweighted guide-bar therefor.

The gas-generating tank 1 comprises the upper cylindrical section 2 and the lower cylindrical'section 3. At the base of the cylin- 5o drical section 3 is a washing chamber 4, adapted to hold water, through which the gas passes after being generated for the purpose of purifying the gas. To the upper end of the section 3 and surrounding the same is secured a ring-plate 5, which is provided with 5 5 a series of peripheral recesses 6. A similar ring-plate 7 is secured to the lower end of the upper section 2 of the gas-generating tank and bears upon said ring-plate 5, a suitable packing 8 being introduced between said ring-plates,and said ring-plates being secured together by means of T-holts 9 in the opening 6 and thumb-nuts 10 on said T-bolts. Said ring-plates are hinged together on one side, as at 11, and hence by removing the T- bolts the upper section of the gas-generating tank may be turned on its hinge and swung over from above the lower section of said tank to enable access to be obtained to the interior of said lower section of the tank.

A generating-box orcylindrical receptacle 12 is placed in the lower section of the gasgenerating tank and is adapted to be removed therefrom at pleasure, and this receptacle 12 is charged with a suitable quantity of water with which to generate acetylene gas from the carbid, which is introduced into said chamber. A gas-pipe 13 communicates at its upper end with the upper portion of the lower section of the gas-generating tank, and the lower portion of said gas-pipe 13 passes into and extends through the water-chamber 4 and is provided with aseries of perforations 14, through which the gas escapes into the water in said chamber. The latter is supplied with a vertical pipe 15, which communicates at its lower end with the bottom of said water-chamber and is provided at its upper end with a funnel-shaped enlargement 16. The height of this pipe 15 is considerably in ex- 0 cess of that of the water-chamber, and its function is not only to enable the waterchamber to be supplied with Water, but to maintain a column of water outside said Wa ter-chamber which column of water, while preventing the escape of gas from the waterchamber at normal pressure, will permit the escape of gas at abnormal pressure, and hence serve as a device for preventing undue accumulation of gas and consequent explosion. 10o Astop-cock 17 is provided for the water-chamber, by means of which the water may be drained when itbecomes necessary to cleanse said water-chamber.

On one side of the lower section of the gasgenerating tank is secured a chamber 18, having a false top and bottom 19 and 20, respectively, of foraminous material, and in which chamber wool or other suitable substance is packed, as at 21, said chamber being provided with an opening 22 at one side for the introduction and removal of the wool, which opening is normally covered by a glass which permits the contents of the chamber to be seen and the condition thereof to be ascertained. A pipe 23 connects the water or gas-purifying chamber 4 with the lower end of the chamber 18 at a point below the foraminons false bottom thereof, and a discharge gaspipe 24 leads from the upper end of said chamber 18 and is provided with a stop-cock 25.

A cock or faucet 26 is provided for the lower portion of the lower section 3 of the gas-generating chamber for the purpose of draining the chamber of any water which may get into said tank and to facilitate the cleansing of said tank.

In the upper section 2 of the gas-generating tank is secured a funnel-shaped shell 27, which forms the bottom of the carbid tank or hopper-28 and which is provided at its lower side, where its walls converge, with a feedport 29. In the top of the tank-section 2 is an opening 30, through which the carbid in a pulverized condition is placed in the feedhopper, the said opening having a glass closure 31, which permits the inspection of the contents of the hopper. A pressure-equalizing pipe or passage 32 communicates with the lower portion of the upper tank-section 2,as at 33, and with the upper portion of the carbid-receptacle, as at 34, the function of this pipe or passage being to admit acetylene gas to the upper portion of the feed-hopper and equalize the pressure on the carbid.ancl therebycounteraet the tendency of the gas to force the pulverized carbid upwardly from the feedport of the hopper.

A horizontally-movable feed-slide 35 operates in a suitable guideway 36 below the discharge-port of the carbid tank or hopper, the said slide being provided with a discharge opening or port 37, which is adapted to register with the discharge-port 29 and to open the same to any required extent, according to the quantity of carbid to be fed to the gas generator. A worm 38 is secured on and is adapted to rotate with the feed shaft 39, which has its bearings in the side of the carbid-tank at a distance above the port 29, as at 40, and the said shaft is also provided with a bearing 41 in one side of the tank-section 2, which bearing is provided with a packing-gland 42 to prevent the escape of gas from said bearing. To the projecting end of the shaft 39 is keyed a spur or cog wheel 43. On that portion of the feed-shaft which is within the walls of the carbid tank or hopper are radial stirring-spurs 44, which rotate with the shaft in the carbid at the bottom of the hopper and serve to stir and agitate the mass of pulverized carbid at that point and insure its being fed to the port 29. A feedworm 45 is keyed to said feed-shaft above the discharge-port and is provided with peripheral projections or spurs 46, the function of which is to feed the pulverized carbid to the discharge-port as the worm rotates. The worm 38 engages a groove 47, formed between 'a pair of lugs 48 on the outer end of the slide-valve, and hence as said worm rotates the said slide will be moved, as will be readily understood.

Near the gas-generating tank is located a gas-holder 49, which comprises the usual water-tank 50 and the hell or gasometer 51, the lower portion of which is submerged in the Water contained in the water-tank and which is adapted to rise and fall, according to the quantity of gas and the pressure thereof in said bell or gasometer.

Extending through the center of the watertank 50, from the bottom of a base-chamber 52 under said water-tank to a point at a suitable height above the top thereof, is a guide-pipe 53, which is open at its upper end and from near the lower end of which extends a safety or pressure discharge-pipe 54, which communicates with the outer air at a suitable point. A pipe connects the pressure discharge-pipe 54 with the gas-pipe 13 between the gas-generator and the purifyingchamber, and in the said pipe 55 is a cook or valve 56, adapted to establish communication between said pipe 13 and the pressure or discharge pipe 54. A pressure discharge and guide pipe 57 is arranged vertically in the center of the bell or gasometer and depends from the top thereof to a point slightly above the lower edge of said bell or gasometer, the said pipe 57 telescoping on the pipe 53. The diameter of the pipe 57 exceeds that of the pipe 53 considerably, and said pipes are provided on their contiguous sides with projecting guide-lugs 58, which serve to center the pipe 57 on the pipe 53 and to maintain the same at all times in a vertical position thereon, and hence also to center the bell or gasometer in the water-tank and to permit only vertical motion to the said bell or gasometer. It will be observed byreference to Fig. 1 that when the hell or gasometer is at the upper normal limit of its vertical motion the lower end of the pipe 57 is submerged a slight distance, and thereby a wall or water column 59. is always normally maintained in the lower portion of said pipe.

Within one side of the water-tank 50 is a vertical guide-rod 60, which extends through a guide-lug 61 on the proximate side of the hell or gasometer, and while permitting the latter to rise and fall in the water-tank under varying pressures of gas prevents said bell or gasometer from oscillating or rotating.

A gas-inlet pipe 62 is coupled to the pipe 24, as at 63, said gas-inlet pipe extending ver- IIO tically through the column of waterin the water-tank 50 and communicating at its upper end with the interior of the bell or gasometer, as shown. A gas outlet or supply pipe 64, which is of the same height as the pipe 62, is also located in the water-tank, communicates at its upper end with the interior of the bell or gasometer, and extends to the burners or other places of consumption of the acetylene gas.

A weighted box or hopper is on the top of the hell or gasometer for the reception of any suitable weights which may be required to regulate the pressure of the gas in the gasholder. In the event of an abnormal pressure of gas in the gas-holder the latter will rise high enough to withdraw the lower end of the pipe 57 from the water in the tank 50, and thereby permit the escape of the excess of gas through said pipe 57 into the upper end of the pipe 53, through which it will escape to the pipe 64 and from thence into the outer air.

A cog-rack 66 has its upper end hinged, as at (57, to an arm or bracket 68, which projects from one side of the bell or gasometer near the upper end of the latter. The said cograck engages one side of the spur-wheel 43 on the carbid-feeding shaft, and in order to keep the cog-rack normally in engagement with said spur-wheel we em ploy a coun terweighted guide-bar 69, which is pivoted to alug oroffset 70 on one side of the water-tank, as at 71, and is provided at its inner end with a U- shaped yoke 72, which bears against the plane side. lVhen it becomes necessary to disengage the cog-rack from the spur-wheel to permit the upper gastank section 2 to be opened, the said guide-bar may be unshipped from the said cog'rack, as will readily be understood.

The operation of our invention is as follows: As gas is consumed from the hell or gasometer the latter in descending carries the cog-rack (S6 with it, and rotary motion is communicated to:tl1e carbid-shaft 39 through the spur-wheel 43, and the initial rotation of the worm 38, which engages with the slide-valve causes the latter to open the discharge-port 29 of the carbid tank or hopper, the revolving feed-worm 45 and stirring-spurs 44 serving to feed the pulverized carbidthrough the discharge-port into the gas-generating tank 12. If the consumption of the gas is sufficient to cause the bell or gasometer to descend with celerity, the speed of the carbidfeed mechanism will be correspondingly increased, thereby causing an increased quantity of the pulverized carbid to be fed to the generating vessel or chamber and an additional quantity of gas to be generated and discharged into said hell or gasometer in quantity sufficient to increase the pressure there in to a degree corresponding with the quantity of gas that is being consumed. In the event that the gas should be generated faster than it is being consumed the bell or gasometer will be caused to rise under the increased pressure of the gas therein and reverse the rotation of the teed-shaft 39 and the worm 38, hence causing the latter to move the Valve 35 and restore the same to its initial position and cut off the discharge-port 29.

It follows from the foregoing that the operation of the carbid-feed mechanism of our improved acetylene-gas generator is automatically controlled by the pressure of gas in the hell or gasometer, and hence that the calcium carbid is fed to the water in the generatingchamber in quantities varying with the consumption of the gas,thus preventing an undue or insufficient pressure of gas from existing at any time while the gas is being consumed, Whether the gas is feeding one or any number of lights, thus maintaining the gas at all times while being used at a pressure sufficient to produce lights of maximum candle-power, while effecting aneconomy of carbid and preventing gas from being generated when it is not being consumed.

The function of the chamber 18, in which the wool is packed and through which the gas passes on its way from the Water or purifying chamber 4 to the gasometer, is to dry the gas as it passes through the wool and deprive it of moisture.

The function of the pipe '55 and cook 56 therein is to permit the escape of gas from the generating-tank to the outer air before opening the said tank for the purpose of recharging or cleansing the same, and hence carrying off the odor.

Having thus described our invention, We claim- 1. The combination,in carbid-feeding meohanisms for acetylene-gas generators, of the feed-slide, the worm to actuate said slide, the gas-pressure-actuated bell, and connections between the latter and the worm, for the purpose set forth, substantially as described.

2. In carbid-feeding mechanism for acetylene-gas generators, the combination of the feed-slide, the worm to actuate the same, and the revoluble stirring devices in the throat or discharge of the hopper, substantially as described.

The combination, in acetylene-gas-gencrating apparatus, of the gaspressure-actuated bell, the hinged rack-bar carried thereby and the yoke-bar adapted to bear against said 'rack-bar, with the carbid-feeding mechanism having the gear engaging said rackbar, for the purpose set forth, substantially as described.

4. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination of the feed-slide, the feed-shaft conneoted to and actuated by a gas-pressure-actuated bell, said shaft having the worm. to actuate said feed-slide, and stirring devices actuated by said shaft, for the purpose set forth, substantially as described.

5. In an automatically-operated carbidfeoding mechanism for acetylene-gas generators, the combination with the gas-holder, of our own we have hereto affixed our signatures the feed-carbid receptacle having the port 29, in the presence of two Witnesses.

the slide-valve 35 the feed-shaft 39 operated 7 by the gas-holder, the worm 38 on said shaft, 5 and adapted to actuate said slide, and the J feed-worm 45 actuated by said shaft, substan- Witnesses: tially as described. JOSEPH S. FRYE,

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as FREDERIO E. ELMENDORF. 

